Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ

“African writers have to be willing to discuss their differences and therefore it is not so much a question of a common message”

“Freedom to vote is more important than economic freedom or national freedom more important than freedom from racism and in this instance, national freedom as more important than gender equality”

“One of the mistakes constantly made by previous generations was to understand as one kind of freedom being more important than another”

“we also want to see borders such as between men and women erased”

“Our intellectuals should not have to publish in Western publications before we take them seriously”

“African writers should not have to win a European or American literary prize before we recognize them as writers.”

“Our generation of writers should, as far as we can, professionalize writing”

“We should not always need the medium of English and French to talk to each other”

“African writers have been, I think the single most important, facilitators of Pan-Africanism”

“I do not think I can be a poet who sings (and singing contains wailing) for Africa without having faith that Africa can one day do right by its citizens.”

“to agitate for African causes is to at the same time have deep faith in African people”

“our intellectuals don’t always contribute to African causes”

“it is important to understand that these kind of questions, which come across as ignorant or arrogant actually have a function to play in American nationalism putting Africa in its place”

“The belief in being the most civilized, most democratic and consequently most able to civilize the world cannot exist if the American citizen sees the full humanity of the African or Arab for that matter”

“American nationalism cannot exist if at some point the American citizen did not consciously decide not to look at the rest of the world”

“I like to think of being able to use multiple genres as being fluent in many musical instruments”

“I am always careful that my home does not become my prison”

“Growing up in Kenya has shaped a lot of my political thinking; it has certainly colored the ink in my pen”

“Kenya is my starting point but not necessarily my end point”